Basketball trouble
by Harrypotterchick1
Summary: Takes place before the serum was activated. Steve is always left out when it comes to boys at school, especially at basketball. A short one-shot, and NO SLASH between Bucky and Steve.


**A/N: There is NO SLASH, repeat NO SLASH! Sorry to all of you who wanted one, but you are out of luck, because there is NO SLASH! I now hope I made myself clear. The friendship of these two is amazing, and I love it. So, there you go. **

* * *

In the city of Brooklyn, it was an average Tuesday morning. All the kids in third grade were outside at recess, and the boys all lining up to get picked for that mornings basketball game.

The two team captains yelled out the kids they were picking for their team. Team A got first choice.

"Bucky!" The boy said, and Team B groaned, for James (Bucky) Barnes was the best player in the whole grade. Without him, they were sure to lose. Team B made their choice.

Boys kept on being picked for teams, until there was only one boy left. Steve Rodgers.

"Ugh, do we have to get him?" Team B asked, facing their one and only option. Steve decided his best bet was to keep his head down and his mouth shut

"Yeah, sorry suckers, but you're dead." Team A's captain laughed.

"Come on! You get Bucky, and who are we stuck with?" Team B's captain glared at the small boy. Steve felt his face glow hot.

"Oh, shut up. We can trade if you want…" Bucky tried, feeling terrible for Steve.

"No way are we trading any of our players for a loser like him. He's as useful as trash can, but a trash can that gets in your way all the time." Team A's captain yelled, and all the boys on the team laughed.

Steve had had enough. He pushed past all of the players, and walked away, feeling hot tears prick his eyes.

"Now we are uneven." Team B's captain said.

"Not anymore." Bucky muttered angrily, disgusted of the all of the boys, and pushed past all the boys, ignoring their groans and pleads for him to stay.

He picked up his pace after he left them behind the basketball courts, running after Steve. He spotted the young, small blond, and put his arm around him, hiding him away from the girls staring curiously.

He hid him behind a bush, but Steve couldn't bear to look into his best friend's eyes. He just felt tears running down his face, and a welcoming arm around his shoulders.

"Steve, I'm sorry. You are more talented then all of them combined, and if they can't look past that small, asthmatic boy, then that's their problem." Bucky tried, only making Steve cry harder.

Bucky could only imagine what it must be like to be Steve. Steve was all alone; no friends, no one to talk to him when he needed someone, no one to put an arm around his shoulders, no one to turn to when he needed help. Steve only had one person; and Bucky was that one person.

Thinking of this made Bucky tighten his grip, holding on to his friend.

"Don't worry, Steve. I think I have an idea that just might work…"

* * *

The next day, it was recess again. All the boys were in the same place, but new team captains were up. Team A's captain was the same as yesterday, but Team B's captain was new; Bucky Barnes

"Team B, you get your first choice." Team A said with a smile.

Bucky looked at the boys and didn't even hesitate. "Steve." He said confidently, and Steve walked over to his captain.

The boys looked knew too well that Bucky was Steve's best friend, but they didn't think that Bucky would actually _choose_ him for basketball. But they didn't argue. Team A didn't want to be stuck with Rogers so might as well let Team B be stuck with him.

The game went by well. Bucky made sure to pass to Steve a lot, and Steve was pretty good, despite the fact of his short term running, and could get tired easily. But Bucky called a timeout when Steve was getting really red in the face and panting more than usual, which Steve was very thankful for.

Finally, they were down by two points. And the bell was just about to ring.

Bucky ran down the blacktop. He wasn't desperate to win; he was desperate to show that whatever team Steve was on, wasn't a losing team.

He felt the wind gushing through his hair, but had to stop, for all the boys on Team A were blocking him. He passed to the only boy who was unguarded, who was Steve.

Steve ran up to the basket, ignoring his throbbing lungs. He was surrounded, and afraid of being stepped on. He only had one choice. He threw it as hard as he could towards the basket.

The ball, actually, fell in perfectly. And seconds after, the bell rang to come in from recess. Steve was grinning, happy for his surprising victory. He started walking into the school. Before he could reach the hallway, though, the boys from the A Team were furious of their blow by _him_ of all people, and cracked their knuckles.

Steve knew too well that one might beat him up after school, as usual, but before he could worry any more of the problem, he felt an arm around his shoulder, sort of dragging him down the hallway.

"Come on, don't worry about them. You did great! You literally won the game for us!"

Some players from Team B walked by, congratulating each other of their game. They walked past Steve, hardly knowing he was there, but congratulated Bucky. They walked past the two friends, and Bucky shook his head.

"Idiots." He saw Steve now smiling, and Bucky smiled back, and the two of them walked back to the classroom, glad to have the other as a friend.

* * *

**A/N: Please feel free to comment, favorite, or any of that stuff. Thanks for reading!**


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